Technical Advisor I – Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies (MHPSS)

Position duration: 18 months (tentative July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027)

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. 

You will support the integration of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies (MHPSS) across all RAPID program interventions, providing technical guidance in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality standards, donor requirements, and industry best practices. Through your expertise, advice, and influence, you will help ensure that MHPSS approaches are effective, adaptive, and innovative, ultimately strengthening the quality and impact of programming for vulnerable populations.

• →Contribute to the implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in MHPSS and Staff Wellbeing in humanitarian response, that effectively engage partners, donors and governments. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, inclusion, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
• →Provide technical solutions to regional and County Program teams, remotely and on-site, for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and M&E, ensuring high-quality implementation.
• →Contribute to quality staff-care of CRS staff and partners living and working in disaster affected contexts by supporting directly through trainings, planning, consultation, and individual support, and by coordinating with relevant staff in GPR, HSSU as needed.
• →Contribute to regional and Country Program efforts to pre-position CRS for growth opportunities in MHPSS. Lead or contribute to the development of the technical design for large and/or complex proposals, including defining appropriate monitoring systems and indicators. Advise project teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS’ approach.
• →Contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives in MHPSS programming for staff and partners through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff.
• →Facilitate training to CRS and partner staff in topics related to psychosocial support; social cohesion; staff wellbeing and safe and dignified programming.
• →Provide guidance to CPs and regions in ensuring all MHPSS activities promote right relationships and avoid causing conflict, and guidance as needed to HRD teams on integration of social cohesion principals in humanitarian sectors.
• →Liaise with relevant CRS departments, regions and country programs to promote synergy and use of standard approaches in MHPSS. Coordinate closely with colleagues working in peacebuilding and social cohesion to on approaches to integration, and the place of MHPSS across the Humanitarian Development and Peacebuilding nexus.
• →Contribute to knowledge management and learning through collecting and analyzing program data, evaluating strategic projects, assisting with measuring program impact, capturing and sharing lessons learned and best practices, and research and internal reports.
• →Establish and maintain relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions. Participate in forums in the area of MHPSS to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.
• →Represent CRS at relevant interagency, donor and network events, as well as key conferences.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• →Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• →Strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• →Strong written and oral communication skills
• →Strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• →Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

• Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology or Social Work or other mental health field required. Licensure in relevant mental health field (e.g., LCSW, LPC) preferred. 
• Minimum of five years relevant international working experience in an advisory or management role with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with minimum of three years working for programming interventions in MHPSS.
• Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in PSS, protection, wellbeing, mental health, trauma informed care and resiliency. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Experience in business development, project design and proposal development in MHPSS, including technical writing.
• Experience in mentoring, coaching, facilitation and training applying adult learning principles and practices.
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
• Experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based and civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions. 
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

What we offer

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Salary and Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.